The correct installation and positioning of your hydraulic power unit is vital if you want the best efficiency and reliability from your system, so how do you go about doing it correctly?
Many different factors such as the environment the system will operate in to the operational temperatures the system will be working under all make a large difference.
As well as the examples above, health and safety plays a large part in deciding where to situate a power unit so it must be positioned far away from general workers and people who frequent the building as to avoid safety hazards and noise related issues.
The power supply the building contains has to be considered also; this basically means the quality of electricity supplied and how it will affect the units operation.
Here are some common situations where correct installation and positioning of hydraulic units is essential:
Offshore based Applications
Power units that will be used in offshore applications, for example Launch Recovery Systems (LARS) need to be weatherproof to protect against the elements out at sea and also come painted with special weather and corrosion resistant paint. System components that are open to the environment also need to be protected as any water ingress could potentially cause a serious safety hazard. This is why it is vital to choose the best position for the unit as to avoid as much salt water contact as possible.
How should I set up a unit in a hot climate?
In hot, humid conditions such as you find in South American climates it is essential the unit is placed in a well ventilated area and has the necessary system componentry, such as cooling fan and filters to help keep out environmental contaminants. It should also be placed away from other machinery that generates high levels of heat.
What about in a cold climate?
As with the problems that occur with humidity, cold climates are also a challenge for a hydraulic power unit as hydraulic fluid has to be the correct viscosity to counter the cold climate and lubricate the system components to the correct level.
Applications that need easy access for regular maintenance
Some applications need regular monitoring to ensure working temperatures, pressures and fluid cleanliness are all at correct levels.
To check this, a maintenance engineer will need room to work on the power unit so the correct amount of space must be left around the unit to enable this work to be carried out
So, do I need to be qualified to install a hydraulic power unit?
Hydraulic power units are technical units where a number of factors need to be considered to ensure the unit is operating correctly after it is installed.
While a certification or qualification isn’t needed to be able to install a hydraulic unit, the person working on it must be competent with how hydraulic systems work and be able to work with componentry and carry out routine maintenance.
Once the system has been fitted it should be tested to ensure that it is running efficiently and its various components are all operating correctly. This should ideally be carried out in demanding conditions so the ability of the system to deal with them can be fully tested.
To find out more about hydraulic power packs and how to maintain them correctly, check out our Knowledge Hub here.